Ecclesial Movements: The Catholic Charismatic Renewal
Spirit.
The Pope was deeply moved by these letters and published his encyclical on the Holy Spirit, "Divinum Illud Munus," in 1897. In it he states, "We ought to pray to and invoke the Holy Spirit, for each one of us greatly needs His protection and His help. The more a man is deficient in wisdom, weak in strength, borne down with trouble, prone to sin, so ought he the more to fly to Him who is the never-ceasing fount of light, strength, consolation, and holiness.
"We decree and command that throughout the whole Catholic Church, this year and in every subsequent year, a Novena shall take place before Whit-Sunday (Ed. - Pentecost), in all parish churches, and also, if the local Ordinaries think fit, in other churches and oratories.
"And now Our mind and heart turn back to those hopes with which We began, and for the accomplishment of which We earnestly pray, and will continue to pray, to the Holy Ghost. Unite, then, Venerable Brethren, your prayers with Ours, and at your exhortation let all Christian peoples add their prayers also, invoking the powerful and ever-acceptable intercession of the Blessed Virgin."
He also sent a private letter to all of his bishops, instructing them that the Novena for Pentecost should be prayed at the dawn of the new 20th century. The pronouncement was met with a lukewarm response by the prelates.
At the same time the Church was dedicating herself to the Holy Spirit, a new movement was about to be borne into American Protestantism. Evangelist Charles Parham, a former Methodist, has established a Bible school he called Bethel Healing Home in Topeka, Kansas. He was convinced, from his visits to another school in Maine, that there was a deeper experience with God available similar to what was described in the Book of Acts.
After several days of prayer, he and his students held a watch-night service on December 31, 1900 that continued again the following evening. During that January 1 service Agnes Ozman was the first to receive "the fullness of the Holy Spirit" and spoke in tongues. Those around thought it was Chinese.
On that same day, January 1, 1901, Pope Leo XIII prayed to the Holy Spirit. He sang the Veni Creator Spiritus by the Holy Spirit window in St. Peter's Basillica in Rome.
Within the next few days, Parham and others had a similar experience. They closed the school and began to travel, talking of their encounter with the Holy Spirit wherever they went.
In Houston, Texas Parham met William Joseph Seymour, an African American Baptist preacher who received his story with eagerness. Seymour went on to establish the Azusa Street Mission, where the Assemblies of God and other Pentecostal Groups were formed.
While the Protestant Pentecostal Movement continued to grow in America, a focus on the work of the Holy Spirit was renewed by Pope (now Blessed) John XXIII with the beatification of Sister Elena Guerra
Also, during preparation for Vatican II in 1962, the Holy Father prayed for "a new Pentecost."
"Renew Your wonders in this our day, as by a new Pentecost. Grant to Your Church that, being of one mind and steadfast in prayer with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and following the lead of blessed Peter, it may advance the reign of our Divine Savior, the reign of truth and justice, the reign of love and peace. Amen."
Vatican II addressed and affirmed these charisms. In "Lumen Gentium 12," for example, it states:
"Whether these charisms be very remarkable or more simple and widely diffused, they are to be received with thanksgiving and consolation since they are fitting and useful for the needs of the Church. Extraordinary gifts are not to be rashly desired nor is it from them that the fruits of apostolic labors are to be presumptuously expected. Those who have charge over the Church should judge the genuineness and proper use of these gifts, through their office, not indeed to extinguish the Spirit but to test all things and hold fast to what is good (cf. 1 Thes. 5:12, 19- 21).
In 1975 Pope Paul VI greeted ten thousand Catholic charismatics from all over the world at the ninth international conference of the Renewal by saying, "The Church and the world need more than ever that 'the miracle of Pentecost should continue in history' . . . How could this 'spiritual renewal' not be a chance for the Church and the world?"
Then, in 1978, an office for the Charismatic Renewal, now called International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services was established in the Vatican. This came out of the old International Communications Office. The role of the ICCRS was to "encourage continuous personal conversion to Jesus Christ and a decisive personal receptivity to the person, presence and the power of the Holy Spirit." Most of this is accomplished through support of Catholic Renewal Services around the world.
On November 30, 1990, The Pontifical Council for the Laity also established the Catholic Fraternity of Charismatic Covenant Communities and Fellowships as a private association.
Today the Catholic Charismatic Renewal is alive and well, with a presence in 238 countries of almost 150,000 prayer groups and has touched more than 119 million lives worldwide.
Pope John Paul II on the Charismatic Renewal:
Sixth International Leaders Conference, October 1987 - "This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Charismatic Renewal in the Catholic Church. The vigour and fruitfulness of the Renewal certainly attest to the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit at work in the Church in these years after the Second Vatican Council. Of course, the Spirit has guided the Church in every age, producing a great variety of gifts among the faithful.
March, 1992: "At this moment in the Church's history, the Charismatic Renewal can play a significant role in promoting the much-needed defense of Christian life in societies where secularism and materialism have weakened many people's ability to respond to the Spirit and to discern God's loving call. Your contribution to the re-evangelization of society will be made in the first place by personal witness to the indwelling Spirit and by showing forth His presence through works of holiness and solidarity.
Pentecost 1998 - "The institutional and charismatic aspects are co-essential as it were to the Church's constitution. They contribute, although differently, to the life, renewal and sanctification of God's People. It is from this providential rediscovery of the Church's charismatic dimension that, before and after the Council, a remarkable pattern of growth has been established for ecclesial movements and new communities."
Insegnamenti, XXI, 1, 1998 - "For this reason, I also say to you: 'Open yourselves with docility to the gifts of the Holy Spirit! Receive with gratitude and obedience the charisms that the Spirit does not cease to offer! Do not forget that all charisms are given for the common good, that is, for the benefit of the whole Church!"
Ninth International Leaders Conference October, 1998 - "The Catholic Charismatic Renewal has helped many Christians to rediscover the presence and power of the Holy Spirit... and this rediscovery has awakened in them a faith in Christ filled with joy."
Vespers of Pentecost, May 31, 2004 - "Open yourselves meekly to the gifts of the Holy Spirit! Accept with gratitude and obedience the gifts that the Spirit does not cease to give! Do not forget that each charism is given for the common, in other words for the benefit of the Church!"
First Vespers of Pentecost, May 29, 2004 - "Thanks to the Charismatic Movement, a multitude of Christians, men and women, young people and adults have rediscovered Pentecost as a living reality in their daily lives. I hope that the spirituality of Pentecost will spread in the Church as a renewed incentive to prayer, holiness, communion and proclamation."
Pope Benedict XVI (as Cardinal Ratzinger):
On EWTN's "The World Over," September 5, 2003 - "...and the Charismatic Renewal ...I think this is a sign of the Springtime and of the presence of the Holy Spirit, today will give new charisms and so on. This is for me really a great hope that not with organization from authorities, but really it is the force of the Holy Spirit present in the people."
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Randy Sly is the Associate Editor of Catholic Online. He is a former Archbishop of the Charismatic Episcopal Church who laid aside that ministry to enter into the full communion of the Catholic Church.
- - -
Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.
Keywords: charismatic, renewal, pentecost, gifts of the spirit, catholic
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the devil works is to hinders people from the truth because his charater is to steal,kill and distroy, remember that Christ himself was treated as besebol. So if people treated Jesus to be the king of devils what more charismatic, let them say. All I know is this catholic charismatic renewal is a prayer anwsered. Thank god for his gift,remember a church without the Holly Spirit is a dead church
Thanks for sharing these thoughts. This has been very helpful to me. Looking forward to read more informative topic.
While I do defer to the "teaching" of the Pope(s) and the Bishops united with him, having been "raised," so to say, in the teaching of St.John of the Cross, I am not at all inclined to partake of the Charismatic "format" of worship, whether within or outside of the Mass,... "Nada," but God Alone--to Him be honor and glory and blessing! ....But if I will spontaneously raise my arms high in the air when I am in Heaven, well, that will be a new and different "modus operandi" that I am happy here below to leave for that "day" without end! Amen!
I just returned from my weekly Catholic Charismatic prayer group and stumbled upon this article and thread. I, too, thought of Catholic Charismatics as, at best, fringe fanatics, and at worst as heretical. That was until I realized the number of popes, cardinals, bishops, priests, saints and evangelists that supported, recommended and lived the Charismatic life of the Church. One of the tests we all must use, and indeed, one that the Church herself uses to test anything, is fidelity to the Gospel and to the traditions and teachings of the Church. Obedience to the Magisterium is paramount. So either all those popes, cardinals, bishops, priests, saints and evangelists are wrong, or those who find the Charismatic Renewal heretical are being disobedient. I chose obedience, reluctantly learned more about the Renewal and now pray weekly to praise and glorify God through the Holy Spirit. The Mass and all the Church's teachings are no longer a burden, or mere doctrine, but a living faith it is a joy to try to follow. "Test all and keep what is good." A hardened heart and self-righteous judgment of the Church is not good. "Be not afraid. Open wide the doors to Christ!" I am thankful the Church does not demand of me the rigid perfection I sometimes demand of her. God bless.
To the folks who misunderstood my post,
The focus of my criticism was not the Charismatic Renewal as a whole, but the modernist perversions of Catholic doctrine within it, specifically religious indifferentism and syncretism, the idea that it doesn't matter for one's salvation if one is a Catholic or not. This was the implication of a good part of the article and, like it or not, it is anathema to the Church. The Council of Florence taught it infallibally, and the Church Fathers proclaimed it unanymously. In the mid twentieth century, Venerable Pope Pius XII proclaimed that we should not have good hope for the salvation of the (unconverted) protestants. Unfortunately, from what I have seen, the Charismatics contradict this teaching either explicitly or implicitly. This is heresy, like it or not. Plus, it has only been since the liturgy was protestantized and watered down that Catholics have left the Church for liturgical reasons in large numbers. If your grandparents are devout, ask them if they found anything lacking in the traditional mass. Talking in tongues has no grace more powerful than the Holy Sacrifice of Our Precious Lord's Body and Blood offered reverently to our Father in Heaven for the salvation of our souls. To say otherwise is something I find disturbing.
Hi Johnny.
I have no desire to question the need for the Spirit, but I suggest we have to be very careful not to restrict it to what would be termed 'charismatic'.
The Catholic Church is, unquestionably, the one and only charismatic Church, because it's the one Christ founded. Any other 'church' merely has it 'through a glass darkly' as it's in schism with Christ's Mystical body present, here on earth.
In short, the Catholic Church is the only true Church, and so is the only one to possess all the charisms fully.
Although I've benefitted greatly from Jeff Cavins, I suggest Dominus Iesus and Dominum et vivificantem as better guides in this regard, rather than our favourite gurus on EWTN and the like. However great and good, they're not infallible, as Frs Maciel, Corapi (awaiting outcome although there's rarely smoke without fire), and Euteneuer have shown...
Hi again, Matt.
Thanks for your concern. However, your reply still seems to miss the point.
The most charismatic Catholic or Protestant service falls INFINITELY short of the Grace present at the most 'boring' and 'uncharismatic' of said, weekday Masses. (The Mass is, of course, the least boring and most charismatic thing we could possibly participate in on earth.)
In other words, what you're implying by your reply is that somehow the Mass is spiritually insufficient, and I need that 'something extra' that the Mass cannot give, and it's to be found in some Charismatic community or experience.
I don't want (or need) to shop around or test communities 'to meet my need', because the Mass and Eucharistic adoration contains everything I could ever need. It is totally sufficient.
That is, any action on my part to find spiritual sustenance elsewhere would indicate a lack of faith in, and an insult to, the very centre of our life: Christ truly present – body, blood, soul, and divinity – in the Eucharist.
The fire of the Holy Spirit is something that needs to be experienced,not just taught! You can teach anybody just about anything,but until they experience whatever it is that your teaching,they will never fully understand.That's in anything,especially in the medical field and the spirituality of our lives.Jesus baptized in fire!Padre Pio had the gift of healings that's the fire of the Holy Spirit.He laid hands on people.King David sang and danced all throughout the Psalms! That's the joy from the Holy Spirit!Catholics need to quit being so easily spooked by Protestant worship of the Holy Spirit.Pentecost is coming and we need the Holy Spirit in ways we haven't had in centuries! Let do this Catholics!
I love Charismatics,we Catholics need to show the world where the gifts & charisms of the Holy Spirit come from,the Catholic Church!We can no longer be known for pickle juice faces anymore.@ Sean its sad to see so many traditional catholics continue to look angry at Mass and don't use the gifts and charisms of the Holy Spirit which is needed for this New Evangelism.The first and most obvious gift that was given at the first pentecost was the gift of tongues.It was given to the apostles and Our Lady. Go watch Jeff Cavins DVD on Acts of the Apostles,you might learn something.
@Paul, I'm sorry to hear of your bad experience with the Charismatic Renewal in England. I wish it would have been better. I don't know much about the Charismatic Renewal in England. I do know of a community in London, The Antioch Community. I know a guy who grew up in that community and have met people who have visited it before, but I have never been at a prayer meeting there. If you have not given them a shot, I would ask that you do. If you already have and they are in the same boat as the other charismatic groups and communities, I'm sorry. I'll definitely keep the work of the Charismatic Renewal in England in my prayers.